You.And.Me.Are.We: March 2013

I Love Bloglovin

We've all heard Google Reader is going to be a thing of the past in just a few short months and many of us bloggers are switching our focus from GFC and Google Reader to Bloglovin in preparation!

This week I'm co-hosting I Love Bloglovin with Lisette, Rachel, Whitney, and Krystal. Join us to find new blogs, gain new readers, and network!

In order to help bloggers transition away from GFC as the main way to follow blogs, Northern Belle Diaries and Postcards from Rachel teamed up to host I Love Bloglovin'. We hope you join us in meeting new bloggers, the new way...through Bloglovin'.

If you need a tutorial on how to import all of the blogs you follow via Google Reader (GFC) here is a helpful tutorial. Once you have all those blogs imported, you may want to organize them into categories using this tutorial.

Now, let's get the party started!

Have an image of yourself ready so we have your pretty face to look at (and not Inlinkz' little froggy) !

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Project: Do You - Changes

You may have noticed that Meagan hasn't been blogging much these days due to some personal reasons. I'm glad she's taking time to figure a few things out and she's putting her "real" life first. Seeing as how she's the other half to Project: Do Me 2013, but is not able to contribute at this time, I've decided to make a few changes to the way the series is being posted.

Right now, every Sunday's post is a Project: Do Me post. My life is boring and not a lot happens in the span of seven days. So, because of that, I've decided to only post every other week. It'll be better for both you and I because I'll be able to write better content {not the same thing over and over}, and you won't be forced to see your feed clogged up with my mediocre posts every.single.week.

Also, did you know that not many people read blogs on Sunday? They're doing better things like spending time with their families, going to church, relaxing before the work week starts up again, and just generally staying away from blogs. I get that feeling! I do it, too! And so because of that reason, I'm moving the Project: Do Me posts from Sunday to Mondays/Tuesdays.

The effort that I'm putting forth into this project isn't changing - if anything, these changes will allow me to spend more time working on my goals. You will see a few changes on your end, but they're meant to be beneficial.

As always, you're welcome to join me in this project. You can visit this post for more information.

Happy Easter! How are you spending your holiday?

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Saturday Inspiration

Source: tomboy-ohboy.blogspot.com viaSara on Pinterest

...mine wanders to the sandy beaches of Jamaica, to thoughts of my future, and to happy thoughts of my husband.

Where does yours wander to?

check this out!

once you try kool aid eggs, you never go back

If you read yesterday's post, today's will make more sense. If you didn't, you probably should... go ahead, I'll be here waiting when you're done.

Alright! Now that you're all caught up to speed, here's the update some of you have asked for - our Kool Aid dyed Easter eggs!

It was as easy at it seems it would be - even easier than the boxed kits you can find in stores this time of the year. If you want to make it easy on yourself to make some last minute Easter eggs, this is not only a time saver, but a money saver, too!

Each Kool Aid packet was $0.20 cents at the Wal Mart near my house. I wanted a little variety, so I bought a pink one (Watermelon flavor), a green one (Lemon Lime flavor), and a blue one (Berry Blue flavor). Compared to the kits they were selling at $3.99 a pop, my $0.60 eggs kicked their butts!

After boiling my eggs, I dissolved each packet in it's own mug with 2/3 cup of water. Cold, hot, doesn't matter. Unlike the store bought kits, you don't need to use vinegar and your kitchen will smell like candy rather than pickles. I stirred up the water and the powder and put an egg in each mug using large spoons.

You don't have to wait long to see a drastic color change! As with the traditional method of dyeing eggs, I took mine out when they reached my desired color. I dried my eggs on a cooling rack (for cookies and cakes) and popped them into the fridge when they were dry (about 30 minutes later).

Our end results? Gorgeous Easter eggs!

They're so much more vibrant than any eggs I've dyed before! They were easier, quicker, made less mess, and cost much less than using the store bought kits.

I have nothing bad to say about this new method I've discovered - in fact, I like it so much we'll never be buying the kits ever again!

Have you dyed eggs yet this year? What method did you use?
If not, try using Kool Aid and let me know how it turns out! Tweet me (@YouAndMeAreWe) a picture; I'd love to see!

check this out!

Kool Aid Easter Eggs and How Time Flies...

...when you're busy!

Sorry that it's been a few days since I've checked in. Life was really nice and easy going when I woke up Monday morning. By noon it was anyone's guess if I was going to get out of this week alive.

Here I am, Thursday evening, after working in just about every department of the hospital in the past four days, taking two exams for school, and finishing up a huge project for biochemistry.

And you know what we're doing tonight?! Grilling out. Ah-maz-ing. It's finally in the low 40s here and we decided to break out the grill, pour ourselves some peach daiquiries, and just enjoy each other's company.

I stopped at the grocery store after work today and picked up the goods for our Easter egg dyeing that's happening tomorrow night. I'm always looking for alternatives to the expensive dye kits in the store... plus, there's only two of us so we only really need to dye 6 eggs. What did I find that will solve all of our Easter Egg problems? Kool Aid! We grabbed three colors - blue, green, and red/pink. I've seen rave reviews online, so I'm incredibly excited (or should I say egg-sited! Ok, bad joke...) to see how these turn out for us. Stay tuned, I'll let you know!

(image originally found here - I take no credit for it)

In the meantime, follow me on Instagram (trisaratoppz) for a peek into our evening and to see how our eggs fare.

If you just can't wait, check out a few of these links to get you started with your own Kool Aid egg dyeing:
multiple colors on each egg
how to get those colors just right (and for solid colored eggs)

*UPDATE* We've dyed our eggs and I've posted our amazing results - check out this post for the full recap, including directions on how you can dye your own!

check this out!

Have You Met Samantha?

Have you met Samantha?

I'm part of the Bigs & Littles Blogging Network and was paired up with Samantha from Designer in Teal last month. Initially, my role was to be the "big" - to guide and advise Samantha in this crazy blog world... but our partnership is proving to be beneficial to both of us because while I'm helping her grow her blog, she's taught me how to properly use Google Hangout and was the inspiration behind our living room re-do. She's no longer just a blog acquaintance, she's a real life friend of mine and I'd love for you to get to know her, too.

Here's what she wants you to know about her -

I'm a newlywed living in Richmond VA. I am Virginia Tech Hokie through and through. I am an Interior Designer who LOVES teal! Also loves hanging out with my hubby Tim, shopping, Mexican food, pugs, mac and cheese, cooking, blogging and Jesus!

I blog about interior design and wedding inspiration, DIYing, recipes and every day life!

I am being completely honest that Samantha is one of the most genuine bloggers I've ever met. She's incredibly sweet and so enthusiastic about blogging... plus she has an incredible love for all things leopard. Her blog is full of wedding posts, home design ideas {like these DIY ideas to brighten up your walls}, and she even took some time to design a living room for me! However, if there's one post you need to read, it's this one. Why? Because she worked some serious creative genius to come up with that project! I can only lust over the end result. Really, no, really!

Take a few minutes to follow her on Bloglovin, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest - you won't regret it!

oh, hey! it's samantha's blog button! check it out!

Project: Do You #7

Please note that this is a link up that focuses on individual self discovery goals. The goals you see below were set by me and for me only. If you choose to link up with us, please create your own goals to work toward and to update us on. If you are unfamiliar with Project: Do You, check out this post that introduces the project before proceeding.

#1 - Read one book per month. I raided my grandma's book collection this past week because she had been asking me to read a book of hers. Borrowing one book turned into borrowing a handful so I'm set on books for the next few months! I started reading my book for April this week: Sarah Addison Allen's book The Girl Who Chased The Moon. I've been meaning to read this book for a long time so I'm happy I finally have the chance to. So far, so good!

#2 - Work out on a regular basis. I've been good with this, but I'm starting to get very antsy for the weather to warm up enough so that I can run outside instead of on the treadmill. Once the weather is warmer, I'll be able to increase my workouts because I won't have to get in my car and drive to work out. My neighborhood is incredibly friendly for walkers/runners/bikers/etc, so I'm incredibly lucky for that. However, with that said, I am super sore today from yesterday's workout! My arms, my legs, my abs, my everything hurt. I never feel quite so accomplished unless my body is sore afterwards, so yesterday's workout was a complete success!

#15 - See a Broadway show. This week we officially bought tickets to see Book of Mormon in Chicago at the end of May. My mom and I got some great seats at an even better price, so I'm over the moon about our upcoming trip!

No questions this week - I've been on autopilot and the questions hardly apply to what I've been doing this week {work, sleep, school, study, repeat}.

How has your weekend been? What have you done to work on your personal goals this week?

check this out!

Saturday Inspiration

Source: sevenly.org viaSara on Pinterest

So what do you say? Let's get out there and turn those failures into success stories!

Happy Saturday; what are you doing this weekend?

check this out!

Beauty Finds {Part Two}

Following up to last week's Beauty Finds {Part One} are three more beauty products that I can't get enough of!

First, I can't post another Beauty Finds post without mentioning Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque! It's similar to other masques out there in that it treats your skin while you have it on... but the best part about this specific masque is that it shrinks your large pores and helps dry up blemishes you already have. I have a 3oz. jar and have used it a few times every month. I bought my current jar seven months ago and it's only halfway gone. Not only is it effective, it's cheap, and it lasts forever! Buy this stuff ASAP!
Cost: $3.79 at Walgreens or buy here from Amazon

My wonderful mother in law bought me Coach Poppy perfume for my birthday last month and I can't remember the last time I loved a scent so much! It's fresh and light but stays around for hours and hours. It kind of reminds me of a not-so-musty version of Victoria's Secret Very Sexy. It's seriously my fav!

Cost: Ranges from $22 for a rollerball {Ulta} to $85 for 3.4 oz {Sephora}

Sometimes, I buy beauty products when I don't "need" them but I find a great price on a great shade or product. That's how I found CoverGirl's EyeEnhancers Eye Shadow in Bedazzled Biscotti. Not only does it go on well, it has a unique hint of shimmer to it. The entire powder isn't shimmery, but there are bits of shine added in. It's the perfect light color for a neutral daytime look and I often wear it over my Clinique palate of colors.
Cost: $5.14 for two from Amazon or $2.99 from the P&G eStore

I've already got some ideas for Beauty Finds {Part Three} so stay tuned - there's more on the way!
And if you're looking for more of my favorite products, be sure to check out these posts!

What are your favorite beauty product finds?

check this out!

Sweetheart VoxBox Review {video}

The products in my VoxBox were the Olay Fresh Effects {Va-Va-Vivid} Cleansing Set ($12.99 at Target), Skinny Girl On-The-Go Bars (price varies, can find here), Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response deodorant ($8 - $10 here), and Not Your Mother's Hairspray ($6 at Ulta)

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

So, tell me, have you used any of these products? What do you think of them?! Which ones are you dying to try?

P.S. Remember the room I told you about in this post? Hope you enjoy a little more exposure of it in the video above!

check this out!

Project: Do You #6

#2 - Work out on a regular basis. Check. Again. Still.

#16 Get hearing tested again/look into surgery. I had a hearing test and met with my ENT surgeon on Thursday. Things haven't gotten better but they also haven't gotten worse. I consider that a win! We decided we'd start the chain of surgeries with my left ear, but Trevor and I decided we could hold off on the actual surgery for a little while longer (until we're more financially stable, and I can afford to take weeks upon weeks off of work).

QUESTIONS

How do I feel today after my experiences this past week?
Overwhelmed and ready for a break! This week was Spring Break so I picked up as many hours as I could at work. I accomplished absolutely nothing for school, but I did manage to feel like I was living at the hospital. Yay? I am officially declaring this week a fail for the "learn to say no more often" goal!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! What are you doing to celebrate?

take a moment and visit Samantha!

Saturday Inspiration

Source: Sara on Pinterest

This holds true every day, but especially so for me this weekend as I'm working at the hospital all weekend long.

I really, really do feel that my purpose in my life is to help others. If I didn't feel that way, nursing would be a bad career to choose. And so, because I am pulled to help others, I will forever be spending weekends at the hospital, watching my patients eat their three meals every day while I hardly ever get just one, testing the limits of my bladder, and working long hours on a couple of hours of sleep.

And I am so happy to have found my passion. So, so happy!

check this out!

H54F

one - Last weekend we headed to Milwaukee to play some hardcore bingo at a casino. As my birthday gift, my aunt bought me a game and we decided last weekend would be the perfect time to go. I didn't win, but I sure did come close! Plus, we got to people watch and it's always much more fascinating at a casino rather than on the street...

two - A group of Trevor's family and I went to a local flower show with some free tickets because Trevor's florist uncle was participating in said show. It was a fun way to spend an evening with a bunch of ladies - gazing at beautiful flowers, exploring a mansion, going out for dinner, and enjoying conversation.

three - Yesterday I met my mom for lunch and she brought along a paper that needed editing. Instead of lugging along the laptop to make changes, she brought scissors and tape - her version of cutting and pasting. We were laughing about her old "technology"!

four - My local grocery store was out of spiced chai so I picked up this version instead. It's incredibly delicious and reminds me of sunnier days spent on the beach in Jamaica. If you can find it, you should try it!

five - I'm working on putting the finishing touches on our living room re-do and this is one of the pillows I picked up to go along with it. I can't wait to show you how it turns out!

How was your week?

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Home Tour: The Bedroom

I've been meaning to show you little parts of our home and Samantha finally gave me the little kick in the butt that I needed to take pictures and get them posted for your viewing pleasure.

So, going forward, keep in mind that Trevor and I live in a rental - a side-by-side duplex to be more specific. That means we can't paint, change hardware, or hang anything that is heavy {which is why I have a beautiful mirror sitting in our basement instead of on the wall like it is intended to do}.

Without further adieu, here's my favorite room of our home: our bedroom.

We've hung this wreath above our bed for good reason - it was one of two hung on the chapel doors on our wedding day! I loved the colors and the flowers then, and I love the colors and the flowers now. The fact that we sleep under something that represents the never-ending commitment we made to each other when we said "I do" and was present on that very day is incredibly special to us.

It's hard to tell by the photos I took, but the wreath is actually quite large. It's at least two feet across and I love the presence it has on our wall.

I also have always loved the combination of a masculine gray and a soft, feminine pink for a room in my home. It always seemed like I could use it for a nursery someday but when we moved to our current home after we were married I decided that there is no time like the present and decorated our room accordingly. I searched high and low, online and in-store, at high end stores and big box stores... and I finally settled on the set we have. It's gorgeous in person and I still love it as much today as I did the day we put it on our bed.

And no bedroom nightstand would be complete without a wedding photo! I love that specific picture because we are surrounded by those we love on one of the best days of our lives, celebrating our love for one another. It's a good reminder of the relationship I have with the man whom I sleep next to every night. Also an important element of our bedroom? We have lots and lots of candles scattered about. A little candlelight is sometimes all we need to relax and let the stress of the day disappear.

In the most romantic room of our home, I wanted to make sure that we highlighted the sexy side of each other. On my side of the bed, above the night stand, I've hung this 11x14 picture of my husband getting ready on the morning of our wedding. On his side of the bed, there's a photo of me from the boudoir shoot I did while we were engaged. I purposefully picked black frames with thick white mats to surround the black and white photos - I think they just look more sensual that way.

And that's our bedroom!

Like what you see? Have any questions? What do you think?! Would you like to see other rooms of our home?

check this out!

Beauty Finds {Part One}

I've been on the hunt for new beauty products that are amazing. It may not be so great for me because my bathroom storage is getting pushed to the limit, but it's fantastic for you!
Why?
Because I'm sharing my favorites with you!

My absolute favorite find is the It's A 10 Miracle Leave In Product Plus Keratin. Spray some into your hair while damp, comb it through, and style as usual. You will be floored by how smooth and soft your hair is!
Cost: $20 for 4oz at Ulta or buy here at Amazon

I also love Maybelline's new Color Whisper line, especially Pin Up Peach. It's easy to swipe on over some lip balm for a bit of color or by itself. It's not sticky at all and it goes on so smoothly. It's my new must-have lip product!
Cost: $6 at Target or buy here at Amazon

Benefit's Watt's Up highlighter is amazeballs. It's easy to blend in under or over makeup and gives you just a hint of light where ever you put it. Looking for That Glow? Wham, bam, you found it with this guy! I got a sample size in my birthday gift from Sephora and I'm in love.
Cost: $30 for full size at Sephora... or make a purchase during your birthday month and get a little sample sized one for free :)

I have {at least} three more products I want to share with you, so be on the lookout for {Part Two} coming soon!

What are your favorite beauty product finds?

check this out!

Project: Do You #5

#1 - Read one book per month. I spent a lot of time reading this week! Enough so, that I already finished my book for March, Safe Haven. I don't have any other books on hand to read, but I do have ideas of a few books I'd like to buy for upcoming months.

#2 - Work out on a regular basis. Check.

#3 Run a 5K. I'll be running The Color Run in August, but I also just signed up to walk in another 5K this week. It's in May, and it's going to be a blast!

QUESTIONS

How do I feel today after my experiences this past week?

I'm feeling surprisingly upbeat and looking forward to this upcoming week. The past 7 days have been positive and I feel ready to conquer the craziness that is about to ensue.

What did I do this week to indulge in my passions?

I was able to curl up with a book for hours upon hours this week. I always tend to forget just how much I love getting caught up in a good story but once I indulge, it's a wonderful feeling.

Looking to see how much progress I've made throughout this journey? You can always check here!

check this out!

Saturday Inspiration

Source: readingglassesshopper.com via Sara on Pinterest

Our Saturday night plans had to be rescheduled due to friend's case of the stomach flu. You know what that means? After this morning's five mile run, I'm cuddling on the couch in sweats and possibly fitting in a nap. How heavenly.

Happy weekend!

check this out!

H54F

It's been a few weeks since I've done a High Five For Friday post, so here goes!

(one) I fit another good workout in last weekend. For some reason, weekend workouts are so much better than weekday workouts... why is that?!

(two) Last night, we filled up with salads, spiked Passionfruit Lemonade, and pink cupcakes for a Girl's Night. We watched Magic Mike and enjoyed every second of it :)

(three) I signed up for another 5K {this one's in May}. I'll be walking with my mom and a huge Cancer Care team. I'm walking in honor of my Oma, she'll be walking in honor of other family members.

(four) I'm working on redoing some design aspects of our living room. These are the curtains I sewed - they're not perfect but they are just what I was looking for our huge windows! Once the redesign is done, I'll be posting about it and you better believe I'll reveal exactly what these curtains are all about. Hint: They weren't sold as curtains at the store!

(five) Last Friday, Trevor and I had Date Night. It was so great to be able to talk and catch up after a long week {and it was a good reason to curl my hair!}.

Trevor and I are busy bees this weekend - we'll be all over the Eastern side of Wisconsin in the next 48 hours! I'll be posting pictures on IG - follow me so you don't miss out {@trisaratoppz}!

What are you up to this weekend?

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Travel Friendly Work Wear

A few years ago, I spent a summer traveling for work. It was a job where I trained pharmacy and hospital staff in a new drug administration technology that I was very familiar with before the summer even started. {Nurses out there: does Pyxis ring a bell? ;)} I traveled for the entire summer and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I was able to basically set my own hours, go out for lunch every day, and got paid for my travel time - not a bad set-up!

I love easy packing - especially for work trips, and especially if you're flying and only taking a carry on. I put together a week's worth of business casual outfits using the same shoes, blazer, and trouser pants. Now that the weather's getting nicer, you could throw in a pencil skirt and mix it up a little!

Travel Friendly Business Casual by youandmearewe featuring colorful blazers

Do you now or have you ever traveled for work?

check this out!

Pearls and Monograms

You already know that I'm a pearl kind of girl, but here's a little more proof.

And hey! Add a monogram of some sort, and I'm over the moon!
Cute, right?

A few months ago, Alli from Allena Mistral sent me this necklace and I immediately fell in love. And when I find something I love, I want to shout it from the rooftops!

I mean, what's not to love?
The letter on the heart is hand stamped.
The Swarovski pearl is hand beaded, and customized {you can also get Swarovski bicone beads}.
Any issues you may have are quickly handled and fixed {thanks again, Alli!}.
The clasp is hand stamped and handmade.

If a necklace like this isn't your thing, she also makes these perfect LOVE rings that are on my wish list.

Alli is absolutely wonderful to work with and is incredibly accommodating to those of us who are picky perfectionists. If you're looking for a from-the-heart gift {Mother's Day is coming up and I'm sure she'd love a necklace with all of the birthstones of her kids or grandkids!} or even just a little something for yourself, you need to stop by Allena Mistral. You won't find better quality handmade products anywhere else!

check this out!

Project: Do You #4

#1 - Read one book per month. I started Safe Haven this week. I'm only on chapter 5 or 6, but it's quickly sucking me in. On Friday night, we went to Barnes & Noble and I found two more books that I would love to read this year... so I'm sure I'll be heading back there to buy them soon!

#2 - Work out on a regular basis. On Thursday, I managed to bust out 250 leg lifts and I paid for it on Friday. Saturday morning (yesterday) was made up of 30+ minutes of cardio and more leg lifts/butt kicks/etc. I thought I was sore yesterday but this morning brought more pain. I have a love-hate relationship with being sore but the days after a workout are never fully complete until I am in pain :)

#5 - Plan a date night ahead of time for each month. Friday we went out to dinner and then to Barnes & Noble to cuddle up with books and magazines in front of their fireplace. Yesterday, we went to an afternoon showing of Silver Linings Playbook, went out for FroYo, and then came home for dinner and SkipBo. It was SO nice to spend time together, talk, and reconnect. It's so easy for us to fall out of practice when I'm working long shifts day after day but this weekend was just what we needed.

#7 - Shape eyebrows. I spent a bit of time in front of the mirror with some tweezers and I think I found a decent shape... it's not a 'forever' shape, but it'll do for now.

#16 - Get hearing tested again/look into surgery. The appointment with the ENT surgeon has been made! I'll be seeing him on March 14th and will hopefully get my hearing tested that day, as well. I'll keep you updated, but I'm hoping all goes well and that my results don't show a huge change in the deterioration of my hearing.

QUESTIONS

What made me blue this week?

I had a seriously hard time dealing with Trevor's employment situation this week. No matter what I did or how I tried to think, I was stuck dwelling on the negatives. I knew I was in a bad place, mentally. I knew I wasn't being positive about this tough situation. I knew I needed an attitude adjustment. But I didn't know how to make things better. My husband and family noticed the bad place I was in and approached me about it. I've always worn my heart on my sleeve - you will know if I am happy or if I am upset, that's for sure.

What made me happy this week?

Somehow, by some grace of God, Friday morning brought a clearer mindset and my attitude completely shifted. I had an exam that morning that I think I did pretty well on, I accomplished so much on my To-Do list, and felt happily balanced. In fact, I finally felt just plain HAPPY.

What did I learn about myself this week?

When I get into these slumps of negativity I have to just ride it out. I can't try and force something that isn't happening - it only makes it worse. However, I also know that I let my negativity get out of hand and involve other people. This is something I am working on.

I am a work in progress. We all are works in progress!
Looking to see how much progress I've made throughout this journey? You can always check here!

check this out!

Saturday Inspiration

Source: Uploaded by user via Sara on Pinterest

I am enjoying my weekend with Trevor - finally spending some time doing normal weekend things like cleaning, grocery shopping, and working out.

My week was incredibly busy... I picked up extra hours at work and had an exam in each of my classes which meant every minute I wasn't working or sleeping, I had my nose in a textbook or my notes. Thankfully, I have a little reprieve next week before things get super crazy the week of the 11th. If March goes as quickly as last month did, we'll be hearing birds chirp and I'll be running outside in no time!

As for today's inspiration? I am giving myself reasons why I can instead of why I can't. This week has shown that I need a bit of positivity in my life to chase away my blues and the above quote is just the beginning of that positive change.

Happy March and happy weekend!

What are you doing this weekend?

check this out!

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